The Vicomte de Bragelonne · Chapter
The Combat explained
De Guiche and de Wardes engage in a duel in the Rochin wood, where de Wardes kills de Guiche's horse and wounds him, but de Guiche survives.
What happens
De Guiche and de Wardes engage in a duel in the Rochin wood, where de Wardes kills de Guiche's horse and wounds him, but de Guiche survives. Manicamp arrives and accuses de Wardes of assassination, but de Guiche confirms the fight was fair.
Themes in this chapter
Honor and Loyalty
The duel is driven by a dispute over honor, with de Guiche and de Wardes risking their lives to defend their reputations.
Friendship and Betrayal
De Wardes threatens to reveal de Guiche's secret, and Manicamp's loyalty to de Guiche leads him to confront de Wardes.
Characters to notice
- De Guiche
Fights a duel with de Wardes, is wounded but survives, and confirms the combat was fair.
- De Wardes
Duels de Guiche, kills his horse and wounds him, but is accused of foul play by Manicamp.
- Manicamp
Arrives at the duel scene, accuses de Wardes of assassination, but later accepts de Guiche's confirmation of fair play.
Key passages
“Of the two enemies you speak of, I trust most heartily to dispose of one immediately, and the other at the earliest opportunity.”
De Guiche declares he will kill de Wardes now and deal with his other enemy later.
De Guiche's defiant response to de Wardes' threat about a shared secret.
“I think that everything is now settled, Monsieur de Wardes; so have the goodness to take your place first, unless you would prefer me to do so.”
De Guiche tells de Wardes to take his position for the duel, offering him the choice of going first.
De Guiche's formal invitation to begin the duel.
“If the horse be killed, its rider will be obliged to fight on foot.”
If a horse is shot, its rider must continue the duel on foot.
One of the conditions agreed upon for the duel.
“You already are, or soon will be, the accepted lover of Madame. I have detected your secret, and you are afraid I shall tell others of it. You wish to kill me, to insure my silence; that is very clear; and in your place, I should do the same.”
De Wardes accuses de Guiche of dueling to silence him about his affair with Madame.
De Wardes reveals the motive he believes drives de Guiche.
“Are you quite sure that you fought with him, Monsieur de Wardes? I confess that I am very much afraid it has been a foul assassination.”
Manicamp questions whether de Wardes fought fairly, suspecting murder.
Manicamp's accusation after finding de Guiche's pistol still loaded.
“Monsieur de Wardes fought quite loyally, and whoever says the contrary will make an enemy of me.”
De Guiche insists that de Wardes fought honorably, threatening anyone who claims otherwise.
De Guiche's defense of de Wardes' conduct after the duel.